"Blasphemous Libel"

A British Christian group is trying to sue the BBC for broadcasting Jerry Springer - The Opera:

A Christian group trying to prosecute the producer and broadcaster of Jerry Springer - The Opera under blasphemy laws will take its case to the high court in London today.

Christian Voice wants to bring a case against Mark Thompson, the director general of the BBC, and Jonathan Thoday, producer of the award-winning musical, for blasphemous libel, but was refused permission by City of Westminster magistrates court. The group is hoping to launch what would be only the third prosecution in more than 80 years for an offence which carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.

[...]

Stephen Green, national director of Christian Voice, said in 2005 that the show portrayed Jesus as a "coprophiliac sexual deviant". A coprophiliac is someone who is sexually aroused by faeces. The British musical, based on the US television programme, was performed at the Edinburgh Festival in 2002. It moved to the National Theatre in 2003, and then to the West End. It toured the UK for 22 weeks in 2006, and is now showing in New York. The BBC televised the opera in 2005.

You're doing it wrong, guys. A few beheadings here and there, and no one will try offending you again.

Damian P.

Posted by damian at November 20, 2007 05:54 PM